A college whose principal is to lead a masterclass today promoting diversity in the workforce has been reported by union officials to the Commission for Racial Equality.

Chris Ball, principal and chief executive of Walsall College, will talk at a conference organised by the Network for Black Managers in London.

He is due to outline recruitment practices at his college that have led to it having "one of the most diverse workforces in the sector".

But college lecturers' union NATFHE has demanded the CRE investigates the college, claiming it has failed to observe statutory duties to promote racial harmony.

Chris May, regional official of NATFHE said: "There is a certain irony that a place held up as a beacon of good practice is being shown up for not having followed the requirements of the Race Equality Act."

The union contends the college failed to fulfil legal obligations to carry out a Race Equality Impact Assessment in relation to a controversial restructuring programme.

The restructuring involves sacking nearly 500 staff and forcing them to reapply for their jobs as part of a curriculum shake-up.

NATFHE claims the college is in breach of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act (2000) which followed the McPherson Report into the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence.

"Out of the McPherson report, Parliament passed a law which put statutory duty on people to promote racial harmony," said Mr May.

"A key component of that was a race equality impact survey, to have a race equality policy and to monitor staff.

"This should be published. They have changed their curriculum dramatically, they have restructured the college. They should do an impact assessment to make sure one part of the community is not more adversely affected than the other.

"We believe this failure to meet the specific requirements of the Act means that the college risks being in breach of the general duty to promote good race relations."

The union questioned whether the college had a race equality policy at all.